Automatic temperature-control valve



Mams, 1925. l 1,536,461

F. L. o.- wADswoR'rH AUTOMATIQ 'IFMPERATURE C'NTROL VALVE Y [we 9.270. 2%

Vsrs' Piemme,4 May 5, 1925.A

i 1,536,461" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

L". o. wAnswonTH, or"

rnza'sunen, PENNSYLVANIA AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE-commer. .vALvE.

Application led March 14,

To all whomlt may camerati Be it knownthat I, FRANK L. O. WADsworth, a citizen of the United States,.re

siding at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improve- V. mentsv in Automatic Temperature-Control `Valves, A4of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description, such ,as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

' My invention relates to. automatic control valves" for regulating and governing the temperatureV of the fluids that are discharged therethrough; and one ofthe gen'- eral purposes of the present improvements is to provide a combination of instrumentalities which will control the flow of a mixture of fiuids, and which will automatically maintain thel flowing mixture at a predetermined and preadjustedA temperaj ture, under varying conditions of supply and discharge. iAnother objectof my invention is the provision of easily manipullated means whereby this automatically maintained temperature may be quickly and accurately adjusted to any desired degree, over a wide range, without interrupting or varying the pressure or the volume of the discharge -from the valve structure, and whereby the maximum rise in temperature may also be definitely limited inthe case of any failure ofy a part of the fiuid Sup'plyj More specifically stated, one of the particular purposes of these improvements is to 'provide a simpley reliable and self contained valve organization which is capable of automatically controlling the mixture of 4hot and coldl water that is supplied towash basins,` bath tubs, shower baths, laundry tubs, and similar appliances; and of maintaining that mixture at any. desired constant temperatureor of immediately arresting the rise in temperature in case of a` failure ofthe cold water supply-therebyeliminating all necessity for'manipulation,`

or constant regulation, of se arate faucets on the hot and cold water pipes, and also eliminating all danger of scaldingj or injuring the hands or bodies of persons, particularly small children, who maybe using such appliances. A further important feature of'my improvements is the provision 'of various forms of construction, of the above described character, which are comparatively inexpensive, and which can be 1923. Serial No. 625,050.

att-ached to, or installed in connection with,

standard plumbing fixtures without changing existing piping connections, -or requiring special and unusual arrangements of supply and discharge conduits.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be made apparent, to those skilled in this. art, by` an examination of the"l three specific "embodiments thereof, which are depicted in 'the J accompan ing drawings and are hereinafter more ully described; but these particular exemplifications are to bel regarded as only illustrative of many other applications of my imfor use in conjunction lwith one of thestandard forms of wash basin; and Fig. '5 1s a partial'sectional view of a, third embodiment of the present invention as it may be u sed in conjunction with a steam condensatlon .device for supplying hot Water to washing machines, shop sinks, and

other devices that may be `installed in establishments where either live or exhaust steam is available :for such purposes.

Referring no w to the construction shown.

lin Figs. 1, 2 and 3: 1 indicates a short length I of standard pipe, which is coupled, at one end, to any suitable form of service supply valve, A, in the discharge outlet to a3 tub,

shower bath or similar appliance; and which-- is connected, at its otherend, to a double walled, -for annular, casing 2-4 that is threaded, on opposite sides to receive the hot Jand cold water lsupply pipes 5 and 6. The

pipe 1 contains a vapor thermostat, L, which comprises a rigid tubular cell 7, that is sup' l a perforad' and ported at its upper end flanged collar 8 (clampe in' place between the end 'of the ipe 1 and the valve A), and which is provi ed-with a' liexible sylphon bellows, 9, thatis attached tothe lower` end of the cell 7 ;-,the bellows'and cell being hermetically sealed and partially filled with a suitable volatile liquid (such, for example, as ethyl chloride, sulphuric ether, methyl alcohol or gasoline) which preferably boils at some temperature within the desired range of automatic control. The end plate of thel bellows 9 constitutes a valve head '10, which is adapted to cooperate with v a seatll, at the upper end of the innerwall 2 of the casing 2 4, and thereby regulate the'flow of hot water from the pipe 5 to the lower end of the pipe 1.. This hot water valve head is rigidly connected, by the stem 12, with a second valve head'13, which forms the end plate of a balancing sylphon 14, and which cooperates with a reversely faced seat 15, at the lower end o-f the wall 2, in controlling the flow from the cold water pipe 6 into the bottom of the casing 4 ;-fro1n which point the cold water passes upwardly through the annular space surrounding the wall 2 and through the row of openings 16, to the pipe 1. The sylphon'14 is attached to a flanged sleeve 17 that isclamped in place between the lower end of the fitting 4 and a cap 18; and this sleeve receives and guides an upright cup 19 which is supported onan eccentric cam 2O that is mounted on a cross shaft 21 in the said cap. A compression spring 22 is interposed between the head 13 and the bottom of the cup 19; and the shaft 21 is provided on its projecting end with a knurled wheel 23 by which the cam 20 can be revolved and the cup 19 thereby moved longitudinally in the sleeve 17 toivary the tension of this spring. The relative position y of the cam and cu'p elements-and the co-rresponding degree of compression of the spring 22--is indicated by a pointer 24 which is secured to rthe shaft 21, and which moves over the graduated dial 25 on the side of the cap; and the clockwise rotation of the rotatable parts. can be limited by the stop 26 and the screw pin 27 that can be set to hold the wheel 23 iin any desired angular position on the shaft 21. y

` The operation o-f this deviceis as follows: When the valve` A is closed, and there is no fiow of water fromthe discharge pipe, the position of the internal control valves 10-13 will -be determined by the temperature of the quiescent liquid surroiuiding the thermostat L; vand since this temperature quick-l ly approximates that of the surrounding air, the corresponding vapor pressure in the thermal control element is so lowv that the tension ofthe spring 22'will ordinarily suffice to keep the upper valve 10 in its fully Lesa/tei crease and move the connectedjvalves 10-13 downwardly; thus restricting and dimishing the admission of hot water and simultaneously increasing that of ooldwater, until the re-lative infiow of the two currents is such as to maintain .the mixture at the desired temperature. This temperature can be instantly varied over a wide range by revolving the cam 20 in a clockwise direction to increase the tension of the spring 22, (and thereby increase the temperature of discharge), or in a counter-clockwise direction (to lower the temperature of the mixture) and the maximum temperature of discharge may be definitely limited by adjusting the angular position of the wheel and pin 23-27 so as to bring the latter into contact with the safety stop 2G at any desired setting. This temperature adjustment does not affect or alter either the volume or the pressure of the outflow through the valve A; and, conversely, this outflow -may be varied to any desired degree-within the .conducting or discharge capacity of the systemby 1nanipulating they valve A, without interfering with the action of the thermally controlled valves 10-13, and without affecting the automatic maintenance of the outflowing stream at the predetermined temperature for which the cont-rol mechanism may be set- Changes in pressure in the wafer supply pipcs 5 and 6 are without effect on the operation of the device, since the compres sive action of the water on the'upper sylphon 9 `is always exactly compensated by the reverse pressure on the balancing sylphon 14. And if the normal supply of cold water should be entirely cut off-by some external agency-the flow of hot water into the pipe 1 will be immediately checked,.and ultimately stopped, by the continued expansion of the thermostat, L, andv the resultant closure of the valve 10, before the temperature of the outflow, past the valve A, .is sensibly increased. f

It will be noted thatthe arrangement of the inlet openings to the lower end of the Y.

pipe 1 is such, that the thin sheet of hot water, which flows radially outward, past the edge of the valve 10, is at once intimately mingled with the multiple streams of cold water that fiow directly upward through the orifices 16, 16; and the temperatures of the mixed currents are thus immediately equalized before they com-e in contact with the thermostat L. ln some cases I may provide the periphery of the cell 7 with thin helically disposed fins o r ribs 29, 29, which will serve to. increase'the sensitiveness of jthe thermostat-both by increasing its heat VThe possible ranges'of temperature control that can be obtained in the use of ,the above described mechanism, can' be varied witlrr'veryrwideulimitsdol suitable choice ofthe volatile liquid or iiuid which-isplaced in the thermostat L, and by a corresponding or accompanying alteration of the strength liquid chosen 4is one whose boiling point is higher than the desired minimum temperature of operation, the expansion of the thermostatic element must be assisted by a v supplemental spring 3() which will balance,

or partiallyl balance, 4the atmosphere pressure on the open end of the lower sylphon 14. As shown in Fig. 1 this-spring is positioned in the interior of the expansible bellows 9--between the lower end of thel rigid cell 7 and the Valve head 10-but it may be so placed as to act on any part of` the valve assemblage 10-12-'-13.etc. YVBut if the desired range of temperature is not too great', it'is'/alwayspossible to select a thermostatic liquid of such character as' to render the use of a supplemental spring (such as unnecessary; and any desired range' of temsuitable pressures.

perature can always be obtained-at somev sacrifice of sensitiveness and power of' thermostati-c actionby dispensing with all liquid and illing the connected cell and sylphon members 7-9 with air or gas at The construction shown in Fig.' 4 is, in all essential respects, the same as that illustrated in Figs. 1, 2and 3. It comprises a tube la which is attached at one end to the cap 31 that is threaded to receive the lateral discharge pipe 32; and which is coupled, at

its other end, to the vcasing fia-2a that is connected with'the cold water supply pipe 6a. The tube 1a contains the rigidcell -element, 7, of a vapor or gas thermostat La, which is lixed to the cap-31 by the adjustvablescrew and nut connections 334-34; and

this cell terminates in a iiexible sylphon element 9' that projects into the adjacent i v end of the fitting 4a. The end plate 1()a of this sylphon is connected-by the stem 12awith a ball valvei 35, which is interposed between a seat 11, on thev inner wall 2a of the casing ifi-2a, and a removable seat l5,

- that is clamped betweeh the end of the Outer wall of the said casingand a terminal elbow 18a. The valve 35.is rigidly attached. to thel end plate 13a of a balancing sylphon 14, that is mounted on th-e plate 17.EL atthe open end of the elbow 18a; and the .outward movement of the connected parts 10a-12t-d 35--13aL (which is produced by the eXp-ansion 'of the thermostat L) -is resisted by a v spring 22, interposed between the head 13a and the long arm` of an adjustablevl bell crank lever 19n that is pivotally supported, in the forked bracket, 36, at one side of this same elbow member. l The lever 19a c an be `iassefiel.

t bracket 36. and initial tension of the spring 22. If the rocked on its pivotal supportto vary the tension of the spring 22a-by means of a coarse pitch screw and nut, 21a-20, which y engage with the short arm of the saidlever,

and which are held` in operative position with respecty theretov Ybyth'e arms of the b i As here shown this second exemplification of my inventionI is mounted directly beneath .the bowl of a wash basin B--back of thev central drain and trap connections D, T-and is connected to the usual lservice pipes, H and C, in the followingmanner:

The hot water faucet is removed and the 'I corresponding service pipe H lis coupled directly (at 5a) to the elbow 18a. The cold water service pipe, C, on the opposite side of the basin, is cross connected-as indicated in dotted lines-to theinlet 6a. The outlet 32 is then connected to the basin tap A. The screw sh`aft21a is made of suiicient length to pass up through the opening for the valve stem of the hot water tap; and is provided, at the top, with a temperature indicator similar in form to that shown inv Figs. 2v and 3. When the tap Ais turned l i on the hotA water ows into -the device through the opening in the valve seat 15a;

is lmired with the cold Water that enters from the p-ipe 6a and passes the valve seat `111;iandthe mixed currents v0f liquid then pass through the annular space between the walls 2a and taintothetubel and, thence through the 'outlet 32, to the discharge valve Argthe 4temperature of the outtiowing stream being maintainedv at the desired flow through the tap A is sensibly in` creased. l

, lVhen the thermostat LL is partially'filled with liquid-and the desired range of temperature control vis very large-1t may, in some cases, be necessary ordesirable to supplement the vapor pressure in the sylphon 9a by a spring 30?l which acts in opposition to the atmospheric pressure on the open endV vof the balancing vsylphon 14a; but if the thermostat is lilled with air or gas, at a suitable pressure7 no such supplemental expansion element vis necessary. `It is also apparent that a suitable form ofl solid `thermostat having a large temperature coeflicient of expansion-such, for example, as the composite metal thermostats shown in Fig. 3 ofmy earlier PatentNo. 1,131,021, and Fig. 5 of my later Patent bld-1,146,826- may be substituted for the vapor orgas thermostat La (or L) without changing in Lany way the action of the device; and in this alternative construction, the differential elements of the composite metal thermostat' casing.4b;.the interior of both sylphons 39 and 14h being open to the external air, and therefore exposed only to atmospheric pressure. The cross-sectional areaof the s'yl-` phon 14h is approximately equal to the combined areas of the two sylphns 9b and 39;

and when the device is in normal operation,

may be so arranged as'toV 'mv'e'thevalvl luid pressures on these two smaller member in either directioni;

e., either away :from the thermostat or towardl itwhen the temperature rises. Fig. illustrates a thermally regulated valve structure which is Vparticularly designed for the automatic control of the mixture of a liquid with a hot vaporsuch `as stcam-and the maintenance of that mixture at anydesired temperature below that of the vapor itself. In this constructionthe lower extremity of the rigid thermostat .cell 'i'b is provided with a perforated collar 8J which serves to support the said cell in fixed relationship to the enclosing tube 1b; yand this flange also carries the expansible sylphon element 9b of the thermosensitive control member. The free end of the sylphon 9 is sealed to the face of a hollow (two part) valve head 10b; and the beveled edge of this head cooperates with the reversely coned extremity of a sleeve 11b which slips into the upper end of a-T shaped lcasing 4;-the collar 8b and the sleeve seat 11b being concurrently clamped in place by screwing this casing onto the lower end of the tube 1l. The chamber in the hollow valve head 10b is provided with a series of radial orifices 16b which open into the annular spacel above the lower endof the sleeve 11b; and this chamber is also in com# munication-through the hollow valve stem `12-w ith a central recess 38 in the elbow capv 18b that is screwed into the lowerendof the casing 4;, The lower end of the valve stem 12b is enlarged to form a head 13?, that cooperates with a conical seat 15b on the edges of the recess 38 and thus serves to control the flow of fluid from the vaporinlet pipe `5b to the recess 38, andv thence. through the hollow stem and valve members 12"-,10bv and the orifices 16", to the lower end of the. thermostat chamber,`where it is mixed with the liquid that enters the casing 4 through: the lateral connection 6b and passes therefrom through the valve opening'10b-11". Any direct leakage of hot high pressure vapor, from the interior of the elbow cap 1S into the casingll", is prevented, by surrounding the lower end of the stem 12b with a flexible sylphon packing sleeve 39,t that is sealed. at one end, to the. valve head 13", and is clamped, at.its other extremity, between the engaged members L1"-'18"; and the upperpart of this stem'is also enclosed by a third sylphon-element-14b that is sealed, at its opposite ends, to the -lower face of the valve head 10b and to the'bottom of the able spring 221 is interposed betweenl the vessels-,which tend, in`this"caseg to aid the expansion of the thermostat Lb--are substantially lbalanced by the opposing liquid pressure on the' larger flexible Vessel. In order to restrain and regulate the action of the thermostatic control mechanism, a suitupper valve head 10b and a wedge shaped block 19b thatisseated in a recess 171. at the base of the box 4b; and this block can be moved up and down in this recess (to .increase, or decrease, the tension of the spring 22D) by means of a wedge shaped nut 20 and the screw shaft 21". This shaft is extended out to any suitable point on the pipe 6b..A and is providedY at its outer extremity with an indicating pointer andfdial 24h-25 (similar to those shown in Figs. 2 and 3l and with an adjustable handle 231 which will serve both to rotate-the shaft 21b and also stop that rotation contact with the adjacent portion of the pipe 6b.) at any desired setting.

The operation of this third exemplilication of 'my improvements is essentially the same as that of the previously considered embodiments, and will thereforey be readily 10 understood without further detailed ex'planation, but this last described construction presents one additional characteristic of safety action, which `has some features of advantage when high pressure steam is used as one of the components of the heated mixture. It will be noted that the valve arrangement here shown is suchthat'the flow of fluid through the valve openings is inthe direction of valve closure-or just the re- 110 verse of the arrangements shown in Figs. 1 and l-and under such circumstances the velocity pressureson the back of each valve (1Qb or'13b) tends to assist the action'of the thermostatic control elements (Lb-22") 115 in moving that valve toward its seat. As long as 'the system is in normal operation this tendency is largelv,'o r wholly, neutralized by the mutua-l balancing action of the mechanically conjoined -sylphon elements 9b39 and 14h; but if the: supply.' o'f cold water should be accidentally shut off-or reduced to such anv extent as to prevent complete condensation of the A"steam as it issues from the orilices\16b`-the upward pressure on the central sylphon 14 will be reduced, and the system will be"unbalanced to such an extent as to permit the steam valve 13" to be immediately, closedA '(without any aid from the thermostat),V and this valve will then'be positively `held to its seat, by the pressure of steam behind it, until the normal conditions of water supp y and water pressure have been reestablished in thesysimmediately effect the closing and locking of the hot water vcontrol valve, orviceversa, (independently of thermostatic action) -but where liquids only are to' be` handled this additional flow, or velocity pressure, control i is generally unnecessary; and it has the disadvantage of rendering the thermostatic regulation somewhat more-sluggish at the extreme limits of the valve movement.

With the preceding disclosure as a guide engineers and others familiar. with the use of heating apparatus of various kinds will be enabled to utilize my improvements, in whole or part as may be desired, in many different forms of construction; and to modify or alter the specific structures hereindescribed-in order to best adapt them to various other uses-without essentially changing the vgeneric functional character of my improved organization.

lhat IV claim is: y

1. An automatic. temperature control mechanism for mixing apparatus which lcomprises a thermostat, means for balancing the external pressure thereon and there- .by eliminating the effect of pressure variations in the surrounding medium on its thermal movements, a sprmgfor assisting the expanslon of the sald thermostat as the temperature rises, asecond spring for resisting said expansion movement, land manually operable means for varying the tension of the last mentioned spring.

2. An automatic temperature control y mechanism for mixing apparatus which comprises a set of opposed and pressure balanced collapsible" vessels, a rigid container hermetically sealed to one of said'vessels and constituting therewith a fluid thermostat cell, an'adjustable spring acting on .the-other of said vessels, anda double Vheaded Vvalve interposed between the opposed ends thereof and adapted to be moved in one direction by the expansion of the thermostat cell and in the other direction by the tension of the aforesaid spring. p

3. Anv automatic temperature control mechanism for .mixing apparatus which comprises a rigid container hermetically connectedftokan expansible vessel and forming therewith a fluid thermostat cell,'a secondexpansible vessel having a pressure area substantially equal to that of the -iirst vessel, an adjustable spring acting toexpand the said second vessel, and a two seated valve member interposed between the aforesaid vessels and adapted to be moved in opposite directions by i the respective" expansions thereof.

' 4. A mechanism for automatically stabilizing'the temperature of mixed fluids which comprises, a plurality of valve elements for controlling the inflow of the said fluid to the mixing chamber, a rigid container mounted in fixed position in the said chamber, an expansible vessel hermetically connected with the s aid container and forming therewith a fluid thermostat cell, an opposed expansible vessel having a pressure exposed area substantially equal to that of the first vessel, ap spring acting to expand saidvsecond vessel, and connections between -each of the. said vessels and the aforesaid valve elements and acting to move the latter in .opposite directions by the respective expansions of the opposed vessels.

5. An automatic mixing apparatus which comprises the combination of a reservoir, a plurality of supply passages leading thereto, a plurality of valve elements for controlling the `flow area of the said passages, a drigid container mounted in fixed position in the said reservoir, a flexible vessel hermetically connected to the said container and forming therewith a closed the'rmostatic cell", means for balancing 4the fluid pressure in the reservoir on the flexible element of the thermostat, other means for balancing .the expansion pressure in the thermostatic cell atv any predetermined temperature, and connections between the said cell and the said valves and acting to move the latter in opposite directions as the temperature in the said' reservoir rises and falls. y

6. -An automatic mixing apparatus which comprises the combinatlon of a mixing chamber, a plurality of supply passages leading thereto, a valve assemblage for cooperatively-and coincidently varying the flow area of the said passages, a manually controlled valve for regulating the Volume of outflow from the said chamber, a rigid container secured at one eud to the wall of the chamber, a flexible vessel hermetically connected to the other end of the said container and forming therewith an expansible thermostatic cell, connections between the said` cell and the said valve assemblage for moving the latter when the temperature in the "mixing chamber varies, and means for bal- .ancing the effect of pressure variations in the said chamber on the flexible element ofthe thermostat and thereby eliminating the elect of such variations on the thermostatically controlled valve movements.

7 An automatic mixing apparatus which comprises the combination of, a tubular mixing chamber, a manually operable valve controlling the discharge of Huid therefrom, an'

' inner tube rigidly attached to one-end of the tubular mixing chamber adjacent to the discharge outlet therefrom, a ilexible vessel hermeticallyconnected to thefree end of the inner tube and forming therewith a fluid thermostat cell, a plurality of inlet o eniiigs for admitting iluid to the mixing c amber at points adjacent tothe said flexible vessel, and a valve assemblage operatively coupled to the said thermostatic cell and serving to vary the flow area of the said inlet passages in accordance with the temperature of the fluid in the mixing chamber. l

8. A self'contained mixing apparatus for plumbing xtures which comprises, a discharge fitting provided with a manually controllable outlet valves, a tubular mixing chamber attached at one end to said fitting and containing a centrally positionedthermostat, a valve box secured to the opposite end of the` said mixing chamber and provided with a plurality of inlet passages for admitting Huid thereto, a plurality of valve lelements operatively connectedI to the said thermostat and acting to simultaneously vary the inlet area ofthe said passages, an elastic restraint member acting on said interconnected valve elements in opposition t0 the expansion'movement of the thermostat, and means for varying the tension of the said elastic restraint.

9. A self contained temperature controlled mixing apparatusfor hot and cold Water which comprises a valve box provided with a plurality of inlet openings and with an interconnected series of valve elements for controlling the flow area thereof, a tubular mixing chamber attached at one end to the said valve box and at the other to a valve controlled discharge fitting, a rigid inner tube secured at one extremity to the discharge endet` the mixing chamber and provided at its free end With an elastic sylphon vessel, means conjoining said vessel with said interconnected Valve elements, and other means for elastically controlling the movements of the conjoined parts as the temperature in the mixing chamber is varied.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK L. O. WADSWORTH. 

